A6 vs. C6 (on 6-string non pedal)

Peter Funk · From: Germany

When playing electric, I mostly use the A6 tuning, but try to switch to C6 from time to time ( a million steelers can't be wrong Wink

)
It is not, that I'm not able to play in C6 but I feel much more comfortable with A6, maybe because of the similarity to High-G Dobro tuning.
Is there an advantage of C6 over A6, especially on 6-string guitars?

G Strout · From: Carabelle, Florida

I don't see an advantage. I use A6 as a main tuning basically because I tend to prefer the lower "thicker" sound. C6 ,especially high C6 with the G on top tends to sound somewhat thin to me. Playing blues I tend to prefer G and D tunings for obvious reasons.
Gary
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

For me, I mostly use A6 when I want a 6th tuning with a reasonably deep sonority and the 5th tone (E) on top. And C6 with the same exact strings when I want a 3rd tone (E) on top and the root on bottom. For me, that's more of an issue on a 6-string - 5th on top without a skipped interval doesn't give the root on the bottom, and there are times when I really want that. It's a simple re-tuning.

Of course, one can do the same thing with lighter strings and a higher sonority and have C6 with the 5th tone (G) on top and E6/13 with the 3rd tone (G#) on top.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I use both A6th and C6th but prefer C6th, probably because I had played guitar for more than 10 years before taking up lap steel. Having that top string as always an E note in whatever tuning I'm using grounds me somehow. C6th also puts some slant voicing on higher strings than A6th but both tunings are essential to know and A6th pairs so well with E13.
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

While you have the major triad in A6 on strings 1, 2, 3, in C6 you have two full root position triads on top and bottom, one Major and one Minor. This can be really helpful having the minor triad on top, as it offers more possibilities for addressing dominant chords, such as the 9th and even altered dominant chords (for example Ab minor over G7 chord). You have the root position minor triad in A6 on strings 2, 3, 4.

I see the usefulness of triads for improvisation and melodic playing more than for chording. People are always looking for as many chords as they can find, I guess for playing chords in the background, but with a good knowledge of harmony you can a lot done with major and minor only. Less is more in my opinion.

Iâ€™ve got a whole system of triads worked out that can transfer to any tuning. I find having the major triad on the bottom three strings is just as useful as having them on top, as in the C6â€“in fact, I would even go as far as to say you would probably play the bottom strings more in C6.

The crucial ingredient in a 6th tuning is the proximity of the 5th and 6th degrees, which in A6 are E and F# as opposed to G and A. I prefer the range and timbre of the G and A.

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

For six string it's such an easy re-tune, why would you exclude one or the other? I'm no theoretician. I find that some songs simply play easier in A6 and some in C6. For instance Panhandle Rag wants a 5th on top and Cold Cold Heart wants a 3rd.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

What is A6th on a 6-string? Is the lowest string C# or is it A? I'd feel sort of lost if I didn't have the low root of a major triad.
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Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

I play both, but -- like b0b & others, I gotta have the root on the lowest string. Plus, I don't like the plinkiness of a string tuned higher than an E on top. The natural solution is I set up my 6-string steels in C6, and use 7-string steels for A6.

6-string C6: E-C-A-G-E-C

7-string A6: E-C#-A-F#-E-C#-A

I also have another 6-string set up for a low G6: B-G-E-D-B-G
(all but the top string are wound)

Works for me...

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Bob, I use this 6-string A6th (high to low) E-C#-A-F#-E-C#. If other instruments are playing the root it's not missed.
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Ethan Shaw · From: Texas, USA

I like A6 for the reasons mentioned above, and it puts songs in the key of C (which works well for my singing range) not at the open or 12 positions. I will say, though, that I'm thinking of changing back to C6 on pedal steel, though, because it cuts through a little better with standard guitar, and there are less tuning clashes when you play big block chords because you're in different registers. It's hard enough getting all of the pedal steel C6 changes in tune with themselves, much less also with a regular guitar and its inherent tuning issues. It also puts open string runs in some better keys.

Tom Keller · From: Greeneville, TN, USA

I use G6 on my 8 string lap steel. EGBDEGBD I have found it to be very versatile.

Paul Seager · From: Augsburg, Germany

I started with C6 because there was a lot of educational material available. My first band as a Steeler had a lot of songs in C and I hated playing either open strings or at the 12th feet so I dropped to A6 and have stayed there ever since!.I play mostly 8 string electric so A6 is nice.

More recently I play a 6 string acoustic and favour A high bass when practicing but if I meet friends for a jam session I usually up the 4th string to F# to get stronger minors and 7ths.

I admit that I cannot play without my whole triad on strings 1-3!

\paul

Allan Revich · From: Victoria, BC

I'm currently grooving a bit lower down, on a D6.

(L-H)
D B D F # A D (6-string)
D A B D F# A D (7-string)

Gives me the root for the major on top AND on the bottom. The m7 is in root position on the top 5 strings. The major triad is on the top 4 strings, with the extra low root always under the thumb.
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Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database

Peter Funk · From: Germany

Thank you all for your input so far! It's not, that I'm to "lazy" to retune (the set of strings is the same), but I'm used to the major triad on strings 1,2 and 3 from playing Dobro.
I never think of a song "needing" a certain tuning, but (at least for the moment) try to manage everything in A6. Exeption: "Sand" demands B11 Very Happy

(... good, that you can easily retune from A6. Or C6)

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